Tanto le pedí

Danny Lozada y su Timba Cubana
(Caribe Productions, 2000)

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It's the coros . . . no, it's the percussion . . . no, it's the steel pan touches from the keyboards - whatever "it" is, Danny Lozada y su Timba Cubana have got it going on in their first release, Tanto le pedí. Lozada, the lead vocalist and director, was a member of Charanga Habanera before leaving the group in 1998 to form his own 15-member band. In Tanto le pedí he has given us an album for the dancer, especially if you are not afraid to shake it Cuban style.

Aside from one piece, a bolero, the songs on this album lean heavily towards Timba, not surprising given the name of the band. The music is characterized by the complex interplay of the horns, keyboards and percussion, creating an interesting and enjoyable combination. The songs usually start fairly innocuously, with only a hint at what is to come, but once they warm up, the instinctive reaction to the controlled energy is to get up - and get down!

I was particularly impressed by the way Juan Carlos González, the band's musical director, handles the piano and keyboard. At times light and playful, at others strong and driving, the piano montunos flavor each song differently, while the keyboard accents sometimes amuse, sometimes startle, but always catch the attention. The steel pan sound in 'Allá va eso', for example, is really cool, without being "cute". All together, Gonzalez' musicianship is one element that elevates the quality of this album.

Also of note is the timbal playing of José "Pepe" Espinosa and the drumming of Raul Hernández which create a lot of the album's dance energy. Although generally more understated, Leonid Muñoz on tumbadora and Carlos Wong on bongó create a firm rhythmic underpinning for the musical adventures of the others. Their playing on "Me voy y bien" stands out.

I've always been one to evaluate the quality of a song on the quality of the coro. If the mambo section is kickin' it, I don't mind giving the verse section at the beginning a bit of a listen. But Tanto le pedí moves beyond this simple test on the very first song. I found the vocals on this album to be arguably its greatest strength.

Aside from one very minor rough spot at the very beginning of one song, Lozano belts out or croons, as necessary, the verses and guías in a way that makes the listener want to laugh, love and lament with him. The support vocals, provided by Gilberto Sandino, Yuniel Mantilla and Ianel Ventura, are spot on, giving tunes such as "Quién la tira mas dura que yo" and "Te voy hacer llorar" the memorable quality that leaves one singing the refrains hours after the last playing.

Whatever you decide is the "it" that makes the CD so good, Tanto le pedí is definitely an album worth having.

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